The U.S. Department of State has extended the comment period for 30 days on Plains LPG's permit application for its pipelines under the St. Clair River.
The Michigan-based subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline of Texas submitted a Presidential Permit application in 2012 to update the legal change of ownership of six pipelines purchased from Dome Petroleum.
In an email to BlackburnNews.com, Plains LPG stresses that two of the lines, built in the early 1970's, transport liquid petroleum gases and there is no intention to transport crude oil.
The other four lines, including two constructed in 1918, are inactive and have been purged and filled with an inert gas. The company adds, however, that in the 1970's, a 5" pipeline was installed inside each of the original 8" lines.
Officials including Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley expressed concern a couple of weeks ago that Washington might allow crude to be shipped through one of the century old lines.
Plains LPG says that securing a Presidential Permit does not authorize it to bring an inactive cross-border line into service without further approvals from U.S. and Canadian regulatory authorities.
Advance public consultation with impacted stakeholders would also be required.
